General News
30 June, 2024
Half reported crime remains unsolved
ALMOST half of criminal incidents in the Loddon Shire for the 12 months to March remain unsolved. Crime Statistics Agency data released last week shows a slight increase in incidents across the shire. The biggest rise was in Boort where incidents...
ALMOST half of criminal incidents in the Loddon Shire for the 12 months to March remain unsolved.
Crime Statistics Agency data released last week shows a slight increase in incidents across the shire.
The biggest rise was in Boort where incidents for the 12-month period jumped from 16 to 26. Wedderburn was up eight and Bridgewater five.
Inglewood and Pyramid Hill were within two of the previous 12 months.
Most incidents were for criminal damage and burglaries.
However, recorded offences in the shire dropped 7.8 per cent.
The biggest fall was Pyramid Hill, down from 44 to 29. The town has been without a permanent police officer since last year. Boort, also without a permanent officer, saw recorded offences rise from 20 to 38 while there was also a jump of almost 30 per cent in Bridgewater.
According to the data, most offenders were men - 114 of 145 - and in the 45-plus age group.
The agency’s records show an 18.7 per cent jump in family violence for the 12 months to March, reports jumping from 107 to 127.
The result ends a downward trend since 2022 and again has family violence in the Loddon Shire above the state average.
State-wide, there were 535,673 criminal offences recorded in Victoria in the year to March – an increase of 39,261 offences or 7.9 per cent.
Acting Deputy Commissioner regional operations Brett Curran said: “Overall crime continues to gradually increase from the low levels recorded during the pandemic years.
““The response to family violence remains a critical priority for Victoria Police.
We have thousands of police working tirelessly to apprehend family violence perpetrators and bring them before the courts.”